Prior workers have shown a number of approximately disk shaped aromatic hydrocarbons that are approximately symmetrically substituted with numerous aliphatic chains form ordered liquids called discotic mesophases. In some of these, called columnar discotic mesophases, molecules stack in cylindrical columns in which planes of aromatic rings are approximately perpendicular to the cylindrical axis.
Yamamura and Tabushi [Tetrahedron Let. (1988) Vol 29: pp.1797-1798] prepared biphenanthryl, but did not obtain it optically active and did not record any chiroptical properties.